How serious is uterine cancer for my unspayed female rabbit?

It is recommended for pet rabbits to be spayed because of the very high risk of uterine cancer in this species - around 50% of intact female rabbits are estimated to get uterine cancer, which is a huge number. It's true that wild rabbits don't have surgery to be spayed, but they also have many more health problems and shorter lifespans than pet rabbits :) The cost to spay a rabbit will vary depending on what part of the country you live in and which specific clinic you use, so I would recommend calling around to some local vets who do this surgery to ask about costs.

The fact that Alice is an adult rabbit now does not increase the risks when you have her spayed, It is a good idea to have her spayed due to the uterine cancer risk and also avoiding spraying, which females sometimes do. So you can have her spayed now, preferably at a veterinary office that treats a lot of bunnies.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your Rosie. I am so sorry to hear of her passing. Obviously, I cannot tell you for certain what happened, but she could have had uterine cancer that spread to her lungs. This could account for the discharge you saw as well as her difficulty breathing. I just typically see it in rabbits over 3 years of age. She may have also experienced a severe respiratory tract infection. Monitor your male rabbit closely or consider having him checked out by a veterinarian to e sure that he is healthy. I am so sorry for your loss.

Thanks for reaching out about Diva. At seven years old and non-spayed, she likely has uterine cancer, very high percentage in un-spayed females. Gastrointestinal stasis is a secondary problem so a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic plan. Try to offer some water via a syringe to maintain hydration. Good luck.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I have noticed that you listed Ms. Bunny as unspayed. Unspayed female rabbits are at a very high risk of cancer of the uterus, so I would be very worried about that as a possibility for the weight loss. The muddy urine could also be due to high calcium in her diet leading to calcium build-up in the urine. This can cause rabbits to have sludgy urine. It is important to get this checked right away. Your vet will try to empty out the bladder, increase the fluid intake, and get a better diet that is lower in calcium. I would suggest having her seen by your vet and discuss her diet, get a urine sample, and check out her uterus. Best of luck with Ms. Bunny.

Rabbits do usually have pretty long testicles, and testicular cancer is very uncommon in rabbits. I typically don’t neuter them unless they are spraying urine and the owners want it to stop, or if they will be cohabiting with females. It is definitely not wrong to neuter by any means, but the risk of testicular cancer is low. I hope this helps! Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for reaching out about Boopsie. She needs to see a veterinarian tonight, especially is still bleeding and anorexic. Discharging blood can be from uterine cancer, a urinary tract stone or other serious causes. The sooner this is dealt with, the better the prognosis. Good luck.